title: Serological response to pgp3 protein in animal and human chlamydial infections.
abstract: Specific antibodies to plasmid-encoded protein pgp3 are known to be encountered in human Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis infections. In order to verify whether antibodies to this protein could be developed in animals infected with plasmid-carrying chlamydial strains, 454 animal sera were examined using a home-made pgp3 protein ELISA and Western blots (WB) of recombinant pgp3 protein from Chlamydophila (Cp.) psittaci. Likewise, 50 human sera were tested by ELISA and WB of recombinant pgp3 from C. trachomatis. The reactivity against pgp3 protein was compared to the reactivity against chlamydial elementary bodies (EBs) detected by microimmunofluorescence (MIF) test. The presence of pgp3-specific antibodies was demonstrated in most ducks and pigeons with Cp. psittaci infection detected by MIF, as well as in the majority of symptomatic cats and pigs infected with Cp. felis and C. suis, respectively, which reacted at high titres to Cp. felis and C. suis EBs by MIF. Moreover, most of the sera collected from patients with C. trachomatis culture-confirmed infection and seropositive to C. trachomatis by MIF, presented antibodies specific to C. trachomatis pgp3 recombinant protein. Therefore, pgp3 protein could be a useful marker of chlamydial infections in animals, as well as in humans.
authors.affiliation: Section of Microbiology, DMCSS, University of Bologna, S. Orsola Hospital, Bologna, Italy. manuela.donati@unibo.it
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Donati
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Laroucau
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Storni
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mazzeo
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Magnino
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Francesco
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baldelli
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ceglie
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Renzi
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cevenini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002689:Chlamydia / Q000276:immunology*; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; C082169:pgp3 protein, Chlamydia